MUMBAI: Privcap Media has released a new video series, called PPM Smackdown, that shows seasoned private equity investors applying sophisticated analysis to fictitious private equity funds.

The series brings to life the kinds of robust debate and deeply researched decision-making that typically takes place behind closed doors.

"Private equity is an asset class in need of greater education and transparency, and we think PPM Smackdown is a fun step in the right direction. The regulatory peculiarities of private equity make it hard for industry professionals to openly express their views about specific funds and firms. By using fictitious fund offerings, the experts on our program can offer illuminating analysis of fund attributes they frequently encounter in real life," said Privcap CEO and co-founder David Snow.

PPM stands for Private Placement Memorandum, the ubiquitous and confidential marketing books used in private equity fundraisings.

The first three episodes of PPM Smackdown focus on three fictitious private equity fund offerings:

PebbleOak Fund II - being raised by a Chicago middle-market buyout firm whose uneven track record includes one big exit and one big bankruptcy

TKTK Capital Fund VI - offered by a London mega-firm that generated weak performance through the Great Recession and saw heavy turnover among its investment professional

Kramer Healthcare Fund I - a Los Angeles specialist investor that split with a predecessor firm and now takes credit for only the best-performing deals

Each episode includes conversation among the three featured private equity experts namely Cambridge Associates MD Andrea Auerbach, PineBridge Investments managing director - global head of Private Funds Group Steven Costabile, OptiCulture Private Equity Consulting founder and Street Partners former partner Dr. Timothy Kelly.

In addition to discussing the team and track record of each fund offering, the experts each reveal one fictitious due diligence finding and describe how these revelations might affect their decision on whether to commit capital to the fund.